Mindset Restructuring

 

From the Osho Zen Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from the A'HA Oracle, Spider and Web:

You see life through your own unique lens. This is your mindset – the assumptions and expectations you hold about yourself, your life and the situations around you. By understanding, adapting and shifting your mindset, you can improve your health, decrease your stress and become more resilient to life’s challenges. ―Mia Primeau

This fellow glides from one stone to another while rough waves swirl at his feet, threatening to unbalance him. The Two of Pentacles always reminds me of a line in a daily prayer written by Mary Jane Dodd: "May I move through each moment mindfully (paying attention to this moment), lightly (keeping my sense of humor), and with clarity (seeing reality without my judgments added). Those three practices can help steady us when there seems to be no letup of storms in our life. Spiders who find their webs constantly broken by wind or animals will rebuild them in another spot. Spider asks us to consider if we're making our situation worse by our assumptions and demands; if so, we might want to do some mindset restructuring.

Winds are Blowing

From the Hoi Polloi Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from the I Ching Pack, Hexagram 59 (Dispersion):

A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.

―Catherine the Great

This fellow juggles two pentacles connected by an infinity ribbon - a reminder that our lives are a constant adjustment to change in the physical world. His tall sugar-loaf hat is symbolic of the sailor who wets his finger and holds it aloft to see which way the wind is blowing. It's easy to get so caught up in keeping things in the air that we forget to be aware of approaching shifts. Hexagram 59 (Dispersion) indicates that a transformation is afoot with the impending removal of obstacles and misunderstandings. It might at first feel like the sky is falling, but this clearing out will eventually allow us to make progress and grow.

Movement

This week I'll be using the Vision Quest Tarot, a deck created by Gayle Silvie Winter and Jo Dose (illustrator); it was published by AGM Müller. I'll also be using two combined oracles: Bird Cards and Ascension to Paradise, deck and book sets by Jane Toerien (author) and Joyce van Dobben (illustrator); they were published by Altamira-Becht and Binkey Kok. Today's draws are the Two of Earth (Pentacles) and Parrot:

In the cycle of nature there is no such thing as victory or defeat; there is only movement.

― Paulo Coelho

There is growth, flourishing, production and fading in the natural world. Humans are prone to forget that we live under the same laws as the rest of nature. Can we move with this flow without demanding that it be different? Life is good and hard - we forget that change is always a part of it. Though it may move at times at a snail's pace, it is this change that keeps things in balance. Grey parrots are highly intelligent birds, needing extensive behavioral and social enrichment as well as extensive attention in captivity or else they may become distressed. A bird from the wild cannot be happy sitting on a stick all day in a human home. Stagnation is its message of warning: we all need fresh experiences to keep our mind and body healthy.

Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind. ―Leonardo da Vinci

Not a Matter of Intensity

From the Morgan Greer Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from the Celtic Book of the Dead, the Island of the Ancestors:

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.

- Thomas Merton

This card made me think of a seesaw today, with the person as the fulcrum. With the old seesaws, when a person got off the seat at the bottom and you were at the top, you would hit the ground and bruise your bum. When life gets chaotic as we try to balance our physical and material needs, we can forget to stay in the center. When we shift to one side - overdoing things in one area and forgetting the others - we'll eventually hit the ground with a thud. That pain is life's little warning. The Island of Ancestors shows a hermit who gradually built the island with pieces of sod and saplings that washed up. The birds that gathered there were souls that he gave a place to rest. This card suggests that we work steadily but sensibly, using our energy wisely and prudently. 

Quicksand

From the Russian Lubok Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from the Marseille Oracle, Cheerfulness:

It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them... There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet, trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That’s why you must walk so lightly.

–Aldous Huxley

This card shows a game going on, possibly kila, a 12th century Russian game similar to rugby. When we are juggling many duties and obligations, we may get hyperfocused on one 'ball' and let others drop. The envelope down at the feet of these men suggest an unpaid bill or an unanswered correspondence that could be important. While we can't always keep our head on a swivel, we do need to pause occasionally, lift our heads and make sure the roof isn't falling in while we're busy mopping floors. Cheerfulness suggests we do our tasks without drama or constant complaining (which only serve to amplify our frustrations). Put on some music or a podcast... anything but listen to that inner whiner. 

Newton's Law

From the Somnia Tarot, the Two of Coins; from the Spirits of Nature Oracle, Cicadas:

The law of centrifugal force seems to be as true for the human condition as it is for the Newtonian mechanics. The faster our lives spin, the more things tend to fly apart.

― Richard Paul Evans

I saw a pin-on button once with a duck and the slogan, "I may look like I'm gliding across water, but I'm paddling like hell underneath." Life often calls on us to step up our obligations and duties, but doing so for too long can take a toll. Our bodies try to warn us that we're overloaded as our thoughts struggle through a fog of exhaustion. When we begin to feel busy but not productive, we may need to take Haemin Sunim's advice and ask ourselves, "Is it the world that’s busy, or is it my mind?" Maybe we are trying to fix or change a situation that is impossible. The Cicada, an insect that emerges in mass numbers and produces an oceanic buzzing sound, tells us to find our voice. Can we tell people 'No' when they try to add to our load - even those who think they are being helpful? Can we delegate some of our duties to others? We may be able to assist others, but we can only save ourselves.

Sailing in Storms

From Tarot by Caro, the Two of Pentacles; from the Holitzka I Ching, Hexagram 57:

I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship. 

~Louisa May Alcott

While a tempest rages, a woman mindfully balances the coins she holds. Her bare feet symbolize her groundedness: she manages her emotions wisely and stays in the present moment. Doing so allows her to see with clarity and be discerning in the choices she makes. Though her feelings shout loudly, like a seasoned first responder, she realizes what must take priority. Hexagram 57 is called 'Gentleness' and suggests we must be willing to bend to continue with our progress. We focus on surfing the waves rather than demanding things settle around us.  

Extra Work

From the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, the Two of Coins; from the Tea Leaf Reading Cards, Spoon:

When we think we're multitasking we're actually multi-switching. That is what the brain is very good at doing - quickly diverting its attention from one place to the next. We think we're being productive. We are, indeed, being busy. But in reality we're simply giving ourselves extra work.

― Michael Harris

There are days and weeks when we are forced to multitask, such as when we must care for family or pets who are ill while continuing to show up for our job as well as handling the basic chores and needs of daily life. This fellow, pedaling away on his penny-farthing bike, focuses on one large coin while barely holding on to another. He does not even heed the direction he's headed in. This lifestyle is not sustainable for long without repercussions. Spoon is a tool that helps us stir and eat, thus it implies sharing and allocating duties to make things easier. Most of us have resources we could draw from when we're struggling to keep our balance if we will simply push our pride to the side and ask. We'll likely get much more done and do it better.

Focus or Distraction

From the Light Seer's Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from the Tapestry Oracle, Focus:

Your results are the product of either personal focus or personal distractions.

The choice is yours. — John Di Lemme

Imbalance, thy name is Bev. In the area of spending and saving, I'm fairly thrifty. But not so with my body. In the fall and spring, when the weather has days that are deliciously cool and sunny, I try to do yard work like I did in my twenties. That might not be a problem if I wasn't thinking about the next thing I was going to do while currently doing another task. Focus implies keeping the mind pointed at one thing rather than several. If I could remember to do that in the yard, I would be aware of when my back sends me signals that it is strained and needs a rest. And I wouldn't see so much of my chiropractor. 

Normal is an Ideal

From the Idiosyncradeck, the Two of Stones; from the Mixed Emotions deck, Safe:

Normal is an ideal. But it’s not reality.

― Tara Kelly

Looking closely at these stacked stones, they hardly seem balanced - some big, some small and a few completely off center. But standing back and viewing them as a whole, it's easy to realize that they are arranged for stability. Life is the same way at times, and reminds me of the advice I was given when I first had a baby: "When she naps, you nap. Don't worry about the dishes in the sink or a messy house. You won't have to wait 18 years to get those things done." We balance things out in ways that might look haphazard but actually work for us in our situation. Safe suggests not only physical safety, but also mental and emotional well-being. Just because it doesn't seem sane or normal to other people doesn't mean it isn't useful or beneficial for us.

Candlelight

From the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, the Two of Pentacles; from the Heart of Faerie Oracle, the Queen of Shadows:

In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion.

― Albert Camus

Many of us find ourselves stuck on a treadmill of busyness, always doing with always more to do, but rarely seeing much progress at all. This fey is watching a flower grow. She's connected to Mother Earth and focused on just being rather than doing. She knows a sacred pause can let us actually see what is going on around us rather than living in the future of "what's next?" The Queen of Shadows, who represents introspection, would applaud this fey. She asks us to look at the shiny side of the self we show others, the neglected parts of ourselves, and the the shadowy parts we don't like to acknowledge. We may find the root issue that motivates us to stay busy in an attempt to feel worthy. But as we look within, we should light our way with this candle from Yoshin David Radin: "You have not been put here to be judged or to prove your self-worth, your self-worth is that you exist."  

First One, Then Another

From the Delta Enduring Tarot, the Two of Cast Irons (Pentacles); from the Southernisms Oracle, 'Go around your elbow to get to your nose:'

To do two things at once is to do neither.

~Publius Syrus

This poor server is being run off her feet - she's trying to deliver some orders while one man yells for his check and a woman demands her drink be topped off. A busy business is good, except when there are too few employees to help everyone. After a while, frenzied multi-tasking becomes chaos, like using a single trowel in an avalanche. 'Go around your elbow to get to your nose' is a phrase used to describe people who overly complicate things, such as adding so many details and offshoots to a story that the point is lost. When we're overwhelmed, we often have added distractions that keep us from being productive. As Lee Iacocca wrote, we need to prioritize: “If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got.”

Self-constructed Resentments

This week I'll be using the Deirdre of the Sorrows Tarot, a self-published set created by Deirdre O'Donoghue and illustrated by Wayne McGuire. Along with it, I'll be drawing from the Victorian Flower Oracle, created by Alex Ukolov, Karen Mahony and Sheila Hamilton; it was published by Magic Realist Press. Today's draws are the Two of Coins and Mimosa:

Judging by his attire, this guy's intention was to keep a sense of humor about his extra load. But from the look on his face, he appears perturbed and resentful. He thought he could take some classes that his boss suggested and do some repairs on the house for his wife. But energy and time spend like money - there's only so much each person has. Mimosa's leaflets fold inward in response to touch, giving her the keyword sensitivity. Some folks have a hard time saying 'no,' feeling as if they must constantly be in another's good graces. But no one's opinion should define our worth, and boundaries are beneficial to our well-being. As Anna Taylor said, "You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept."

On My Game

From the SKT Revelation, the Two of Orbs (Pentacles); from the Empty Cup Oracle, Concentric Circles: 

I once had a therapist tell me that stress is not always bad. A moderate amount of it can help us become more alert and perform well. It's only when it feels like we're trying to hold back a tsunami-sized wave of it that it becomes destructive. It helps to acknowledge that while I might be juggling some stressful situations, they are not overwhelming. Remembering this, that what I have is just human stuff, keeps me from blowing it out of proportion. Burrington suggests the Concentric Circles are like the circles inside a tree trunk - each one represents our experiences over the years. From them, we have knowledge from our young selves (play is important!), from our teen selves (just be you!), and our adult selves (mistakes are for learning not for shaming!). As I deal with juggling different challenges, the knowledge of the past can help me stay balanced in the present.

Grateful today for those who stop by to read my blog and for the friends I've made through it.

Mindful in All Ways

From the Hezicos Tarot, the Two of Coins; from the Way of the Horse, Intuition:

When there are a lot of plates spinning in the air, it's easy to get discombobulated. Yesterday, I made a cup of coffee and forgot to put the cup under the Keurig spout. I'll blame a lack of sleep for that blooper. But having a lot of boxes to check off every day can make it easy to lose one's balance. Part of my daily intention in the morning helps me wake up: "May I move through each moment mindfully (pay attention!), lightly (hang on to humor), and with clarity (see what is, not what I wish it to be). Intuition brings in another way to pay attention. My longtime buddy who lives in Australia has a birthday this month, so I decided to send her a package this year. But I got a nudge to do this much earlier than it needed to be mailed. And although logic said there was plenty of time, my physical feelings told me to get a move on. Thankfully I listened; the package arrived early but Australia is now on the list of countries to which the USPS is not currently making deliveries.  

An Unfreedom

From the Wayfarer Tarot, the Two of Earth (Pentacles); from the Curious Oracle, the Arch:

...hurrying, multi-tasking, and feeling pressured trigger essentially the same hormonal and neural mechanisms that helped our ancestors run away from charging lions. At the heart of it all there’s an unfreedom: you can feel chained to obligatory tasks. ~Rick Hanson

This fellow is intensely concentrating on keeping the board and rocks balanced on his head. Yet such intensity isn't something that we can keep up over a long period of time. It will eventually begin to take a toll on our well-being, affecting our physical and mental health. While we all have situations when we need to briefly carry a heavier load, we still need to be aware of the rocks we add to our board. The Arch suggests a passage to a new way of thinking and doing, but the gateway may ask us some hard questions:

• Am I doing something because I care or because I feel guilty if I don't do it?
• Is there someone else who is abdicating their responsibility that I'm picking up the slack for?
• Do I think my self-worth comes from how much I do for others?
• Before I take on a new commitment, do I consider its costs?
• Am I holding myself to an impossible standard of perfection?
• Do I say yes because I am trying to get someone to like or include me? 

 Wisdom is choosing a greater happiness over a lesser one. ~Rick Hanson

No Amount

From the Tarot of the Abyss, the Two of Pentacles; from the Lantern Oracle, Assistance to Access:

A woman is seen with a pentacle pendulum, shown at different times of the day. She has many obligations to fulfill and tasks to complete, and she's well aware of how thinking about one while doing another can lead to distraction. If she is to maintain her health and balance, she needs to deal with what's in front of her, not what lies ahead. Assistance to Access suggests needing help to get through a passage or part of our life. We may fear we look vulnerable, needy and inept if we ask for help, but actually it is just a sign of humility.

The truth is that no amount of money, influence, resources, or determination will change our physical, emotional, and spiritual dependence on others.

― Brené Brown

Home Base

From the Tarot of the Master, the Two of Coins; from the Paracelsus Oracle, Carcer:

          It is interesting that the keyword given to this particular Two of Coins is 'foundation.' No matter what is swirling around us and how many things we are juggling, having a home base to return to for recharging is essential. We need to stay grounded - feeling safe, satisfied and connected - in order to meet what confronts us. Such a foundation allows us to act wisely and make judicious use of limited resources. The Carcer card (literally 'prison') warns of isolation and restriction. When overwhelmed and tired, I tend to go into box turtle mode, which can be helpful if rest and a lack of stimulation is needed. But staying in my shell for too long can keep me from the connection I need too, the reminder that I'm not alone and have hands that reach out to help me. Isolation will break my spirit, not heal it.

Slippery When Busy

From the World Spirit Tarot, the Two of Pentacles; from the Mystic Glyphs, Crow:

          This woman balances on a slippery rock with waves lashing at her feet. Her only source of light comes from a lighthouse. Yet she seem confident and focused rather than overwhelmed. The companion booklet states: "Your life is a balancing act between worldly affairs and inner challenges, responsibilities and having fun." Yes, we can multi-task and do it all - but only briefly. Eventually something will get left out or shoved aside or we will collapse with exhaustion. Known for its intelligence and cunning, Crow has been seen as both a messenger and trickster. His message today would likely mirror that of Neil Armstrong: "when you get overconfident, that's when something snaps up and bites you."

On a personal note, I can see myself in this woman. Yesterday I was so busy with multiple tasks that I didn't have a chance to blog. Today I am worn out and ready for a break. Here's one of the more enjoyable tasks I was doing - helping with a Spring display for the library's display case:

Personal Responsibility

This week I'll be using the Wheel of Change Tarot, a deck and book set created by Alexandra Genetti and published by Inner Traditions. The second deck I'll be drawing from is the Oracle of the Dreamtime, a compilation of Australian Aboriginal art and Dreamings by Donni Hakanson; this deck and book set was published by Journey Editions. Today's cards are the Two of Disks and Frilled-neck Lizard:

          Genetti shows the orbital balance of Earth and Sun kept in check by gravity. What tethers us and keeps the many dimensions of our life from throwing the other parts out of line? A laser-like focus held for too long (on our life or someone else's) will create imbalance and be a detriment to our well-being. As the Dhammapada implores, "Let one not neglect one's own welfare for the sake of another, however great. Clearly understanding one's own welfare, let one be intent upon the good." The legend of the Frilled-neck Lizard is an example. The land was in a period of great drought and all the animals argued about what to do. No one listened to the lizard who just happened to be a rainmaker. Filled with frustration and self-righteous anger, he brought a storm that destroyed many living things. Yet what might have happened had he calmed himself instead of acting out rage? He might instead have sent a steady, gentle rain and become a hero rather than a brutal punisher.